I Don't Know You Anymore
by FireStorm1991
Summary: A/U: Bulma's and Vegeta's families are business rivals, but the two teenagers care more about the love they share. When their fathers find out, however, the two of them will have to struggle to get back to one another. Will they give up on the business before they give up on one another? BXV, some CCXG
1. I Would Like to Visit You for a While

Disclaimer: I don't own DBZ or the characters

Okay, so I've been working on this idea for a while but I didn't have drive to write anything. Well, I knew what the story would be about and it kind of reminded me of the Hatfields and McCoys I was watching with my grandparents last night, but in this story, it will be business rivals and not really much killing…yeah. So anyway, I hope you enjoy.

* * *

Two eighteen year olds were laughing as they ran away from their school dance.

"Vegeta, what if our parents find out?" a young, blue-haired girl asked.

"Bulma, they're not going to find out," he said smugly, kissing her vigorously while unlocking his car door. "Get in."

Bulma laughed and shook her head. She and Vegeta had been sneaking around to be together for years now. The only two people who knew were their best friends, Chi Chi and Goku, who supported them any way they could. The two teens were in love, but with their parents being business rivals, they were forbidden to see each other.

Before Vegeta started to drive away from the dance, he felt his girlfriend kissing his neck. He growled slightly. "If you keep doing that, I'll have you right here."

Bulma winked at him before returning to her seat. She always loved his control, but she knew he could only be pushed so far.

Vegeta drove them to an abandoned cottage by the lake they always snuck off to. The place was full of peace and beauty, and it made them forget the intensity of their corporate lives and background.

He lifted her up off the ground and carried her into the cottage, bridal style, kissing her along the way. She moaned slightly into his mouth, making him smirk and egging him on more. He started to unzip the back of her dress and laid her down in the bed in front of them.

"God, you're beautiful," he said in a dreamy voice. Bulma couldn't help but blush as his gaze bore over her body. She attempted to cover herself, but he wouldn't let her. Soon he joined her and the two of them ignored any insecurities they had and lost themselves in one another.

* * *

"Oh, Bulma, you're home," her mother greeted. "Chi Chi called and said you were spending the night. How was the dance?"

Bulma smiled slightly, thinking of Vegeta. "It was a lot of fun. I overdid it, though, and so I went home with Chi and passed out on her couch."

"Well, I'm glad you had fun," her mother said with a smile. "Now your father has some stuff he'd like to talk to you about for next weekend."

Bulma resisted the urge to roll her eyes. Every year, all the local businesses got together and presented their new ideas. It was always a major competition between Capsule Corp. and Ouji Corp. She and Vegeta always had to pretend that they hated each other, and then they would sit in the back and text each other throughout the presentations. It was so asinine.

"Alright," Bulma said in a forced cheery voice, "I'll go talk to him right now."

* * *

Meanwhile, at Vegeta's home, his father and mother were waiting for him. He greeted them and kissed his mother on the cheek before getting something to drink from the refrigerator. He didn't notice the worried look on his mother's face or the glare on his father's. He was just so happy after his night with Bulma. He thought nothing could ruin his morning.

"Where were you?" his father asked, trying to contain his rage.

Vegeta looked at him, taking a large gulp from his drink and tilting his head slightly in confusion. "What do you mean?"

His father's glare hardened as he threw pictures down on the kitchen table of him and Bulma. Vegeta growled and glared at his father, ignoring his mother's worried glance. "Were you spying on us?" Vegeta shouted. "That's low, even for you, father."

"I knew something was going on with you two," he retorted. "I've seen the text messages on our bill. How can you sleep with the competition?"

"She's not competition!" Vegeta yelled. "I love her and she feels the same. The two of us will not be dragged down by your pathetic rivalry."

Vegeta's mother yelped when her son was slapped in the face. She shot her husband a glare. "Is this really necessary?" she shouted. "Our son is happy for once. Can't you swallow your pride for once and let them be?"

"Not a chance," his father replied. "Not with that trash. You will not be contacting her anymore, and if you do, I'll cut you off and throw you out and then I'll ruin your little girlfriend with these pictures. Talk about a scandal."

Vegeta didn't care about being cut off. If that was all his father had threatened him with, he would have walked out the door. But now, he was threatening to drag Bulma down, also, and he refused to let that happen. He needed to tell Bulma later when they were supposed to meet up at the lake.

* * *

"Hey, Vegeta," she greeted happily, before running over to him. She tried to embrace him, but he held her back. She then saw his serious and hurt expression. "What's wrong?"

"My father knows about us," he told her. "He's threatening me to get me to stop seeing you. He told me that he would cut me off and that-"

"So let me get this straight," Bulma said as calmly as she could muster. "You're breaking up with me because of money? Seriously?"

"No," Vegeta replied desperately. "My father said he was going to-"

"I heard what he said!" Bulma snapped, tears starting to fall down her face. Vegeta tried to comfort her, but she pushed him away. "I thought I meant more to you than that."

Vegeta was about to reply when she ran off. He attempted to text her the rest of what he had to tell her, but the message never went through. His father blocked the number both ways. Vegeta growled. How was that even possible?

* * *

He returned home and looked across the street to Bulma's house. He decided to try a different approach. Her father would never let him in, so he decided to climb the side of her house to get up to her bedroom window.

Bulma stopped crying when she heard the knock on her window and saw Vegeta hanging on for dear life. She decided to open the window. "Yes?" she asked, drying her tears.

"You never let me finish," he said through gritted teeth while trying to hang on. "My father didn't just threaten me; he threatened you too. That's what I was trying to tell you."

"How could he possibly do anything to hurt me?" Bulma asked.

"He-"But Vegeta was cut off when Bulma's father spotted him and threatened to call the cops if he didn't get off the property. "I'll tell you another time, at the convention…my father is watching my phone and apparently me, so we can't meet up anywhere."

"But I don't want to break up," Bulma said ignoring her father's shouts.

"We aren't," he told her. "Just sitting back for a while."

Bulma nodded solemnly, but she trusted Vegeta. If his father had something on her, then Vegeta would know. He wouldn't do this on a hunch. "I love you," she whispered.

He smirked at her. "Same here. Well, I better climb down before your father decides to take out his pistol."

Bulma laughed and nodded in agreement. "See you next weekend."

"Definitely."

* * *

The week dragged on as Bulma and Vegeta anticipated the convention. Both their mothers noticed a change in their children's attitude and neither liked it. Vegeta's mother had confided in Bulma's mother about the threat her husband gave the two teens. Both women were unlike their husbands and only wanted their children's happiness. They started to form a plan to help both of them.

At the convention, Bulma and Vegeta exchanged glances during the presentations. They couldn't text like they normally did, but they really wanted to talk; so Bulma excused herself and Vegeta followed a few minutes later. The two of them met in a dark hallway. Vegeta pressed her up against the wall and kissed her desperately.

"What does he have on me," Bulma said as the two of them gasped for air.

"Pictures of us…at the cottage," he admitted. Bulma gasped. Vegeta wasn't kidding when he said his father was watching him. "He said he would publically disown me, so I wouldn't be connected with the business anymore and that he would use the pictures to ruin your company's reputation. I didn't want that to happen."

"Vegeta," Bulma sighed, "I don't care about my reputation. I care about you. Let's just leave. Who cares if we're cut off? I just want you."

"I would, Bulma, but he still has that PI watching me," he told her. "He would find us."

Tears started to form in Bulma's eyes. "So this is really it?" she asked. Vegeta frowned and looked away from her, then nodded. That's when Bulma lost it and ran off again. He didn't try to stop her. He knew he had to keep his distance for the time being. It was the only way he could keep her safe. But what he didn't know was that his father had the private investigator come to the convention, which Vegeta hadn't expected because it was a private event for businessmen. He would find out the next day.

* * *

A/N: Haha, yeah…don't ask me where these story ideas keep coming from, cuz I don't even know. Anyway, as evident by the first chapter, so intense drama is heading there way…in the first chapters. Let me know what you think.


	2. Get Away and Out of This City

Disclaimer: I don't own DBZ or the characters

Sorry it took so long to update this one, but everyone pretty much knows my excuses now, so I'm sure no one holds it against me. Wow, 16 reviews for a first chapter…I think that might be a first for me :D Thank you all so much ^_^

Blueflower1594: Sorry for taking so long to update, but I hope you keep reading :3

Damona Veggie: I'm really glad you like all my BXV's. Other than Yu Yu Hakusho stories, that's pretty much all I write XD I get too many ideas for AU's for the couple.

Skinnychick: I hadn't read hers before you mentioned it. We even talked about our stories. Yeah, we're going in totally different directions. But yes, Mallie-3's story is fantastic. Thanks for reviewing.

Cara2012: Thanks. Hope you like this chapter.

Muffinmini: Glad you love it :D

WithoutWingsX: Yay ^_^

Callistokt: I hope you'll like the direction it's going in.

KKsaiyancat: Lol, I always skip around a lot, but I'll try not to :) Thanks for reading.

whatWhat123: Oh good :D That makes me happy.

TeamVegetaGirl123: No…no lemons in the future. You're lucky I can write a kissing scene without blushing XD

Sami199: Good I'm glad. I hope it continues to interest you.

KimiruMai: Yes, it's the dads again XD When is it not? I'll update Dysfunctional Ties next. I'm not telling what I'm going to do with this one. It will resemble a plot from a soap opera I watch though, although it's going to be waaaaaaaaaay different.

Torch-of-Darkness: Well…warning, it's going to get a lot sadder. Be ready for anything :/

DaniellaDBZ4ever: Glad you like it. Sorry it's been so long since I updated.

Miikodesu: Well, he wasn't the one spying, but yeah…creeper. They don't really have to breakup…but all I can say is there's something going down in this story and it's going to be a while before they get reunited.

Iluvveggie: Glad you approve. Just wait for the craziness to start.

* * *

Vegeta woke up the next morning to his father throwing the newspaper down on him. He growled at his father, but refrained from yelling at him when he saw his victorious smirk. Vegeta's eyebrow rose in confusion, as he looked down to the front page news. The picture was censored, but it was pretty obvious that it was a picture of him and Bulma together. Flabbergasted by what his father had done, Vegeta looked back to his smirking face, mouth gaping.

"I told you to stay away from her," his father stated. "I'll give you another chance, but that girl's reputation is ruined. It looks like we'll be raking in the investors this year."

Vegeta ripped the newspaper and threw it down to the ground. He stood up to face his father. "That's all you care about?" he shouted. "How about the fact that you just hurt me and my girlfriend? Or that you sullied our company's name as well?"

"It's in the article. It says that you have no connection to the company."

"So what?" Vegeta continued to yell, alerting his mother who ran into the room. "They're going to see just how vindictive you are! No one will want to work with you!"

"You're just pissed about being cut off," his father replied with a smirk.

"Fuck you!" Vegeta screamed before storming out of his house. His mother turned to his father and glared at her husband.

"You better pray they work things out," she said, "because if our son is miserable, I will make you pay." She left the room and decided to go place a call to Bulma's mother. Their kids needed to get out of the business life now.

* * *

Vegeta stormed across the street to Bulma's house and knocked on the door. Dr. Briefs had answered it. He did not look pleased in seeing Vegeta. Vegeta's glare softened now that he was away from his own father. He was about to request to see Bulma, but he was interrupted.

"She's not here," he told the teenager.

Vegeta was shocked. Where else would she be on a Sunday morning? "Where is she?"

Dr. Briefs scoffed. "Hell if I know," he growled. "After I saw the picture I threw her out."

"What?" Vegeta shouted to the man. "Why would you do that? She's your daughter!"

Dr. Briefs just slammed the door in Vegeta's face. The teen stared at the door, gaping again. How would he get in touch with Bulma now? His father blocked her on his phone and her dad didn't know where she was. Maybe she was at Chi Chi's house. Vegeta decided to call Goku, but he got no answer. Yes, they all had to be over at Chi Chi's.

* * *

Vegeta was banging on the door as soon as he arrived at Chi Chi's house. Chi Chi answered the door and frowned when she saw Vegeta. "Are you okay?" she asked.

"Is Bulma?" he returned.

Chi Chi sighed and let him in. "Bulma's asleep right now. She was crying earlier, but other than her father throwing her out, she's handling everything else as well as could be expected."

Vegeta sighed in relief. He knew that with time, Bulma and her father would work things out. It's not like Vegeta was tied to Ouji Corp. anymore. Chi Chi led Vegeta to the room where Bulma was staying. He couldn't help but smile when he saw how peaceful she looked despite the situation.

"Please, Vegeta, don't wake her," Chi Chi requested. "I just got her to calm down." Vegeta nodded and walked over to the bed. Chi Chi smiled a bit when Vegeta climbed into bed and put his arm around her best friend.

Bulma stirred a bit in Vegeta's arms, but didn't wake up. Vegeta was going to take a little nap with her when his phone went off. His ringtone was on low, so he didn't expect it to wake Bulma. He growled quietly when he saw his father's name appear on the screen. He stood up as quickly as he could without waking Bulma and then answered it. "What do you want?"

His father sighed, "_Get back home. I want to talk to you."_

"I'm not coming home," Vegeta replied. "I don't want to 'sully' your 'good' name any more than I already have."

"_Your mother is upset. Come back home or I'll pay that PI extra to drag you from your friend's house."_

To say Vegeta was pissed would have been an understatement. "Only for an hour, old man. Then I'm coming straight back here." His father hung up the phone.

Vegeta wanted to break his phone in his anger, but when he looked back to Bulma's sleeping form, all of the rage left him. He moved to push a strand of hair from her face. "I'll be back," he whispered. He left the room. As he shut the door, he didn't notice Bulma watching him leave.

* * *

Vegeta never met up with his father. Apparently his mother had sent him out for groceries. She motioned for Vegeta to join her in the den and then took out a folder he wasn't quite sure of.

"Mrs. Briefs and I have been working on this for a little while," she explained. "We both think you and Bulma work well together and we want you to be happy. This is the information for an apartment we rented out for you two, furnished. You can stay there until this all blows over and your fathers see reason."

"Are you serious?" Vegeta asked hopefully. If he and Bulma could live together, then his father really wouldn't have a say. It didn't matter that he had the PI following him. He would be with Bulma and that was all that mattered. They could finish the last few weeks of their senior year together and then runaway together.

"Of course I'm serious," his mother answered him. "I have never seen you as happy as you've been these last couple of years. I know you've been with her that long. It was so obvious by how the two of you would cast each other those longing glances at the conventions."

Vegeta blushed at the thought of being caught like that by his mother and apparently Bulma's mother. "I need to get back to her," he said to avoid an emotional discussion. His mother nodded, hugged him goodbye, and wished him luck. She knew he needed to get out of the house before his father came home.

* * *

Vegeta took his car back to Chi Chi's. It already was packed, courtesy of his mother and Bulma's. Maybe if they had opened up to their mothers, things would be different. If they hadn't been sneaking around, his father would have left them alone and wouldn't have hired a private investigator.

Vegeta ignored all that as he pulled up to Chi Chi's house. He didn't even knock. He was just so excited that he could start his life with the woman he loved; however, when he opened the door, his face fell.

Goku was trying to calm down Chi Chi who was panicking because Bulma disappeared. He looked over to Vegeta, who was just shaking his head in disbelief. Vegeta ran up the stairs to the room Bulma was staying in. She was gone.

A piece of paper on the nightstand caught Vegeta's attention and he went to see what it was. It was a note, a letter from Bulma, saying that she had overheard him talking with his father. She didn't want him to choose between her and his own family, so she ran away and would not be coming back. With no way to contact her, he would never see her again.

He held the note close to him, as though it was acting as his safety blanket to control his rage. He did not blame Bulma for running. Even he was coming here to take her away, away from the hell that was their lives. Goku came into the room and place a hand on Vegeta's shoulder.

"I'm sorry," he said calmly.

Vegeta shrugged himself away from his friend. "Don't touch me, Kakarot. I'm out of here."

Goku didn't even try to follow him. He knew his friend would need a lot of time. There was nothing he could do to help his friend heal while his wounds were still fresh.

* * *

Later in the week, Bulma was still nowhere to be found. Vegeta's mood darkened and everyone who knew him grew worried. He moved into the apartment his mother had rented for him and Bulma. His father visited him often to discuss their differences. He still wanted Vegeta to take over the business one day. Vegeta agreed, but he had a hidden agenda. When he took over, he planned to bring down Capsule Corp. He was furious with both his father and Bulma's for causing them to be separated.

Meanwhile, Bulma's mother was grieving for the loss of her daughter. She hadn't heard from her in a week and she didn't know if she was okay. Things were tense between her and her husband. She blamed him. She didn't even blame Vegeta's father for Bulma not being there. Yes, he published the pictures, but her husband threw their daughter out. He could have listened to her and been supportive, but he chose the pointless company vendetta over their little girl.

* * *

Bulma was unaware of everything going on back home. She went as far as she could go with what she had on her. She did not want to be recognized, so she took matters into her own hands.

"Yo, Beeja," a gentleman at a table called. "I need a refill."

Bulma turned to face the man and smiled. She poured him another cup of coffee. Walking away, she heard the man say, "Hey Beeja, let me know if you're ever looking for a date. I got a friend who has a thing for brunettes."

Bulma turned back to the man and flashed another bright smile. "No, thank you, but I'm perfectly happy on my own."

Just then, her boss came out to let he know it was her lunch break. Bulma thanked her and headed directly for the bathroom. When she got in there, she washed her hands and face. Then, she looked into the mirror; a blue-eyed, brown-haired girl was staring back at her.


	3. Maybe I Shouldn't Have Called

Disclaimer: I don't own DBZ or the characters or the song I Don't Know You Anymore sung by Savage Garden

DaniellaDBZ4ever: Yeah…Vegeta is going to have a big attitude change this chapter. And she had to change her hair color because she's such a well-known figure and she's trying to stay hidden.

Damona Veggie: It'll be at least 3 chapters before they meet again, depending on what I write to the different lines of the song…let's just say, a lot has to happen before they meet again.

TFSrules: I do plan on having Yamucha, but not as a rival to Vegeta. This might be the first story I don't completely tear Yamucha to shreds XD

Miikodesu: Nope, she's not really finishing the last few weeks, not that there's really much. She won't be there for graduation, though. It took her a short time to get where she had to go on what she had because, well, she's rich (and before anyone asks about credit cards being traced, she took out cash). She just needed to change her hair color and style to disguise herself.

WhatWhat123: Yeah…I torture characters…

Blueflower1594: Lol, yeah, we can totally get around the drama…not…

Sadezanobia: Thanks! :3

Middlekertz: Yeah…she just wanted Vegeta to be with his family…

Hatersfuelmyflame: I have no idea, but I do appreciate the support. Maybe it's the emotional drama…?

KimiruMai: How did I know you'd be upset with my dying her hair :P We so know each other well XD And she should have, but she was all emotional and people don't think straight when they're emotional…believe me…

Ynallesh: They're my fav couple too, and thank you. I'm glad you like it.

* * *

Things in the city were getting even more hectic. Vegeta hated going to school because everyone would look at him strangely or sadly while whispering to each other about his and Bulma's predicament. Most of the school knew they were into each other, and they were all pissed off about the newspaper article. Bulma and Vegeta were both popular among their classmates and it saddened them to see Vegeta acting so cold and that Bulma was no longer going there.

Now, on their graduation day, Vegeta acted angrier than anyone had ever seen him. He had already run into Bulma's parents, her mother hoping that she would return to receive her diploma. She was kind to Vegeta, but Dr. Briefs just wanted to get back to his precious business. He didn't care whether or not Bulma was coming to receive her diploma. He had completely written her off.

That didn't even include his father's actions. The bastard had bragged all morning that he alone brought Vegeta's focus back where it should be, on school and the business. It had been the end of the year, so there wasn't much work to do anyway, especially for those who took AP classes, like him and Bulma. Vegeta had to walk out of his own apartment to avoid punching his father in the face multiple times.

He too had hoped Bulma would show up, but she didn't. It had been a few weeks and he still didn't know where she was. He tried to e-mail her, but the e-mails came back saying that the address was no longer in the system. Vegeta shook his head in frustration. She made damn sure he couldn't trace her, and even though he didn't blame her for it, it angered him.

"Vegeta, your mom wanted me to talk to you," Goku said when Vegeta walked into the closet he and Bulma frequented when they started their secret relationship.

"I don't want to talk," Vegeta growled.

Goku frowned. "Vegeta, we know you love her, but you can't close yourself off like this. She'll come back at some point. She just needs time. Maybe she's just hiding out until everything calms down with the company and the rivalry."

Vegeta cast Goku a glare and said, "Kakarot, you know nothing." He then walked away from their first rendezvous point, leaving that part of their past behind.

* * *

Bulma was feeling incredibly sick, which wasn't good. She knew she had to get to work on time. Even though she had befriended her boss, Juu, she didn't want the woman to give her any special treatment. And now that she didn't have any money, except a tiny bit she saved for the month's rent, she needed every penny from her job if she was going to survive.

She ignored how sick she felt and made it to the diner she was working at. The restaurant's normal morning crowd was there, so she got to work instantly refilling everyone's coffee and putting in their signature breakfast orders.

"Beeja, you really are a peach," the man who kept offering to set he up said. He motioned across from him. "This was the friend I was telling you about. Name's Yamucha."

"Hey Beeja," Yamucha greeted with a wave. Bulma just flashed him a smile.

"Hey." She looked back to the older man. "I thought I told you that I wasn't really interested in being set up."

Yamucha frowned at his friend. "Seriously…I told you to stop trying to throw me at random girls."

Bulma laughed at his expression. "Well, Roshi here has an active imagination when it comes to relationships."

Yamucha grinned. "Don't I know it. Anyway, sorry about this."

Bulma waved him off. "It's fine. I just..." Bulma stopped speaking as she felt an overwhelming sense of nausea pass over her. "Um, excuse me for a moment. I just realized I forgot to…punch in my time card."

She left the coffee pot on their table, ignoring their calls as she ran to the employee bathroom in the back. Juu had heard the concerned calls of her customer and headed towards the bathroom just in time to see Bulma retching violently into the toilet. She sighed and then knelt on the ground next to her young friend. She held her hair back until Bulma was finished, breathing raggedly as she leaned back against the wall.

"Okay…let's pretend that didn't happen," Bulma tried to joke.

Juu shook her head in disbelief. "Beeja, that's not healthy. If you need the day off, I'll just work on your schedule so you can get those hours back. I understand what you're going through." Juu sort of knew the story, just that her new employee had an ex and because of the drama with their family, she ran. Even without knowing the details, Juu related. She and her boyfriend were a happy couple, but his mother did not like her. When she found out she was pregnant with their daughter, she hid it and ran to her brother's. The only difference between their stories was that her boyfriend, Krillin, chased after her and they were both doing their best to provide for their daughter. They were able to be happy. Juu wanted that for this young runaway as well.

"I know, Juu," Bulma replied. "It's just…so complicated. I wish I could tell you everything, but I can't." Bulma flinched as another wave of nausea took over. Juu was at the ready to help her out. She patted the girl's back until she was done.

"Beeja," Juu said calmly, "I think you should go home. I can handle things here. I can get one of the regulars to take you home. But you need to rest. You must have some bad bug."

"Yeah," Bulma replied. "Thanks Juu…I owe you."

"Just get better, kid," Juu ordered. "I'll come check on you later and bring you something to eat if you're up to it." Bulma nodded in agreement as she walked out of the bathroom with her friend.

* * *

"Thank you to our student council president for the lovely speech," the principal stated. "Now…with our valedictorian…missing…her best friend, Chi Chi Ox will speak on her behalf."

A round of applause was heard as Chi Chi took the stage, although Vegeta was still frustrated and angry. He crossed his arms as he watched his friend take the stage.

"All of these years have been a challenge," she started. "High school is a crossroads to finding who we are as individuals. That…that was the start of the speech Bulma was working on before she disappeared." There was dead silence in the audience. "She was right; high school is about finding ourselves and figuring out the life we want for ourselves. Of course, there are always challenges, like newspaper articles and angered parents." Murmurs started in the crowd, all negative comments about the two business owners. Vegeta smirked thinking about how pissed they must be for being attacked by a friend of their children.

"Bulma didn't get to finish out her last year her schooling because of those challenges that arose, and even though SOME people think she ran away because of the damn article SOMEBODY paid the papers to use, she left because she needs to finish finding herself somewhere she is not judged for falling in love. As her friends and classmates, we should follow her example, take ourselves out of our comfort zone and find ourselves and the lives WE want to live. Now that we are graduating, we can finally choose a life for ourselves with the people we care about. Newspaper articles and angered parents be damned!"

Every student was standing up, clapping and cheering. The teachers had to quell the emotional students and clamoring parents before the diplomas could be passed out. Vegeta met Chi Chi's eye as she went to return to her seat. He nodded to her and Chi Chi smiled, accepting his thanks. Vegeta looked into the stands to see if he could see his parents. He smirked when he saw his father flipping out about the speech Chi Chi made. He knew he was in for it later, but he was done caring.

* * *

"Hey, Roshi, mind giving Beeja a ride home?" Juu asked. "She's not feeling well."

"Um, that's not a good idea," Yamucha stated. He pointed to the coffee cup. "He decided the morning was just too boring and added some spirits to his coffee."

"Great," Juu muttered looking over to the bar counter. Bulma was sitting there, holding a hand to her head. "I need someone to get her home."

"I could do that," Yamucha offered.

"Really?" Juu asked.

"Yeah," Yamucha said, "we kind of got off on the wrong foot, so I'd like to help any way I can."

"Alright, I'll go get her."

Juu helped Bulma out to Yamucha's capsule car. "Okay, Bee," Juu said, "I'll be over after I close up shop. You get some rest."

"Thanks, Juu," Bulma said quietly, "for everything."

Juu waved goodbye as Yamucha drove off with her friend. "Hm," Juu said to herself. "I just realized that it's been about a month since Beeja came here." She shrugged and sighed. "Poor kid."

* * *

Yamucha cast Bulma a worried glance. "Beeja, what's wrong?" he asked. "Juu said you're sick, but you look fine now."

Bulma nodded. "Yeah, I actually feel a lot better now, but Juu wants me to rest. I guess I worried her when I threw up."

Yamucha tensed when she said that because it reminded him of another friend of his. He decided that he was going to have to ask her a very personal question. "Um, Beeja, don't think I'm weird or anything for asking this, but have you…you know…been with a guy recently."

Bulma's mouth dropped open at his question before she glared at him. "How dare you ask me such a personal question?" she screeched. "How is that any of your business, anyways?"

Yamucha sighed. "Look, I'm not trying to be weird or anything. It's just that I have a friend who got herself into a lot of trouble, and the temporary sickness and dizziness were signs that she was pregnant. Is there a chance you could be, and if so can you get in contact with the father?"

Bulma thought about it for a moment and gasped. It had been about a mouth since she and Vegeta had last been together, so it was possible. Yamucha saw that she was panicked and changed direction towards the grocery store. Bulma looked at him, eyes narrowed in confusion. "Why?" she asked.

"Well, I just wanted to help," Yamucha whispered. "I was the only one my friend had when she went through the pregnancy. I don't want to see anyone go through all that alone."

Bulma's expression softened. "Thank you," she said. "I didn't mean to snap. It's just a…"

"Sore subject," Yamucha said with a faint smile. "That's exactly what my friend said. But it's okay, I understand." His expression became serious. "I'll go pick up the test. You should…think about what you're going to say to the father if it comes back positive."

Bulma frowned but nodded as Yamucha parked and went into the store. She didn't know what she was going to do if the test came back positive. What would she ever say to Vegeta? After she left that note for him, she just left him and with no way to contact her. She was sure he wouldn't be happy with her. What if he didn't want to hear her out?

How could she even tell him? She didn't want to cause a further rift between him and his family. It was already too late for her to resolve anything with her dad. He made that clear the day he threw her out. It would be wrong to tell him what was going on only to admit to him that she wouldn't be coming back…but it would be wrong to keep it from him.

Yamucha came back quickly and handed Bulma the package. "I'll take you home. If you want me to stay, I will."

Bulma sighed and nodded. Even though she didn't know him too well, part of her trusted him to keep this a secret. She clearly needed some type of support right now, and it was either him or nothing.

They got back to her apartment, and Bulma took out the test. She took a deep breath, but relaxed when she felt Yamucha's hand on her shoulder.

"No matter what the result, it's going to be fine," he said. "You've got a lot of friends at the diner. You're part of our family now."

Bulma smiled faintly, liking the idea of having a "family" again. "Right," she replied with a nod.

She went into the bathroom to take the test, and after waiting, she reluctantly checked it. Choking on a sob she threw the test into the trash and started crying. Her fears had been confirmed. She was pregnant, and she would have to tell Vegeta.

* * *

Vegeta slammed the door to his room shut. He had gone home with his parents after the ceremony, but only because his father was having a damn party for his associates to celebrate his son graduating from high school. The room looked like no one had been living there; the only objects inside were a bed, a desk, and a dresser.

He lied down on his old bed and sighed while staring up at the ceiling. A permanent frown on his face, he thought over the day's events. _Where could she be?_ he asked himself. He knew that if she went anywhere, she'd be spotted and accosted by the press, but it hadn't happened. She went off the grid and even though he was angry about it, he couldn't help but worry about her well-being.

Just then his cell phone rang with the number of a blocked caller. Vegeta scoffed, but he decided to answer it, if only to threaten whoever was trying to sell him something. "What?" he grunted into the phone. He heard a small gasp on the other end that sounded an awful lot like…

"V-Vegeta?" Bulma said softly. Vegeta shot up, his eyes wide. He could tell that she was crying and that made him worry even more.

"Bulma," he whispered. "Bulma, where are you? Are you okay? I can come and-"

"No!" Bulma exclaimed. "I mean, no…Vegeta, listen. I…I don't want to come in between you and your family. I already screwed up my relationship with mine."

"The hell with my family!" Vegeta shouted. "Where are you?"

Bulma was taken aback by the hate and anger in his voice towards his family. In her mind, she was convinced that she was causing it, though she would have been wrong. "M-maybe I shouldn't have called. I'm sorry…I won't call you again."

"Wait!" Vegeta yelled out. "Bulma, don't hang-" He was too late. She was already gone. He growled and then threw his phone across the room. He was not angry at her, he told himself, for the moment. She sounded like she was in trouble, like something had happened. And now, because she was afraid for him and his familial relationship, she was dealing with whatever it was alone. "I will make them pay," he said quietly. He didn't care anymore. He would make their father's wish they had never been born let alone start this damned rivalry.

* * *

Bulma was crying hysterically in her bathroom, forgetting that Yamucha was outside. He softly knocked on the door and entered when he received no response. She looked up at him and started to wipe her tears away.

"You didn't tell him," Yamucha stated.

Bulma gasped. "How much did you hear?"

"Enough to know that you're the girl the media has been talking about…Bulma Briefs, girlfriend to Vegeta Ouji."

Bulma started to cry harder as she buried her face against her knees. Yamucha sighed and walked over to her. "Don't worry; I'll keep your secret."

Bulma looked to him in shock. "Why? What do you have to gain? You don't even know the situation."

"I know," Yamucha said, "but you don't need the added pressure of the press. I read the article, Bulma…what that guy's father did was terrible. Both of you shouldn't have to deal with this. And now…now you're so far away from you parents and your friends. You're away from the guy you love."

Bulma nodded. "I didn't want to leave him," Bulma admitted. "I just didn't want to cause problems for him. His father would have cut him off. He tried so hard to protect me from those photos, so I needed to return the favor."

Yamucha sighed. "Look, I'll give my two cents and then you can do whatever you want, okay? Call him back, when you're ready. I'm telling you that you're making it worse staying away from him, for both you and him. If he truly loves you, he won't care about what his family says."

"He doesn't," Bulma whispered, "but I don't want him to make the choice."

Yamucha held his hands up in defeat. "Fine, but I'm telling you…he's never going to give up on you. He'll look for you forever if he has to. You could make it easier on both of you and just go to him. Do you really want to raise a child by yourself?"

"I…I don't know," Bulma replied looking away in shame. "I can't think about it right now." Bulma then looked alarmed. "Y-you aren't going to tell Juu, are you? About any of it?"

"I'll let you tell her what you want," Yamucha told her. "As far as I know her employee, Beeja, is sick."

"Thank you," Bulma nearly whimpered.

"No problem," Yamucha said with a shrug. "You should just do what Juu said and rest. It's bad enough you have all this crap to think about. Just don't stress yourself out too much, m'kay?"

"I'll try. You can um…let yourself out."

Yamucha smiled at her. "Right. I'll leave you my number in case you need anything, like a ride to the doctor's or something."

"You…you're a good friend, Yamucha," Bulma whispered.

"I try. Anyway, I'll catch you later. Bye, Bul…Beeja."

Bulma waited until she heard the front door shut before she left the bathroom. Part of her was feeling so incredibly guilty after hearing Vegeta's desperate voice and Yamucha's words. She put a hand to her stomach and rubbed it. She couldn't believe that she had a little life growing inside of her, a life created by her and Vegeta. "Vegeta," she whispered as tears fell again. She shouldn't have hung up on him.

Bulma went back to her phone and dialed his number again, but received a busy signal and a message that said the number was temporarily out of service. "No," Bulma said sadly, hanging up her phone. "He really does hate me."

Sad and disheartened by the day's events, Bulma got into her bed and cried herself to sleep; however, she decided that she would do it on her own. It would be better for everyone involved if she kept it from him. She was wrong, though, because it was not what was best for her nor was it best for Vegeta.

* * *

A/N: For everyone who just read, do not worry. Bulma will not be with Yamucha AT ALL. He's just going to be there for moral support. He won't pose a challenge to Vegeta in any way, so don't hate him because this is the first story I think I've ever made him nice in XD


	4. But Someone Had to be the First to Break

Disclaimer: I don't own DBZ or the characters of the song "I Don't Know You Anymore" by Savage Garden.

KimiruMai: Yeah, you know I wouldn't put her with Yamucha except for the scenario I talked with you about *nervous* Thankfully I can't remember the song.

WhatWhat123: Um…trust me, you won't be happy with the hell he causes at first. Eh, maybe. Some of it is some vengeance.

Lintu-lvr4: Glad it's peaked your interest :3

VegetaBulma Fan: Well, I have a new color coding system that will determine what stories I will be working on. I'll be updating all of them as much as I can based on the colors :3

DamonaVeggie: Yeah, she should have told him, but with the hormones, you can already see her irrational mind setting in. And yeah, Vegeta will make them pay, but he's going to grow a lot colder towards everyone.

Pallyndrome: She's not thinking rationally. She probably thought he changed numbers or something, but that's only because she's an emotional wreck with pregnancy hormones…not the best combination.

TFSrules: I was going to wait until after Trunks was born in the beginning, but I had decided before your review to have them meet back up while she's pregnant.

Sadezanobia: Thanks. Glad you liked the idea. I didn't want to pair her with Yamucha, but I wanted him involved somehow.

Smalsa: All I will say is that he will be there for the birth of Trunks, but that's the only spoiler I'm giving.

LunarSinner: Thanks. Someone else said it was like Romeo and Juliet. It won't end as tragically though. I'm glad you're hooked on the story :3

Sonia-s.a: Well, you're predictions are excellent…that's all I'm going to say.

Tempus Imber: Thanks, I appreciate it. Glad you like it :)

DaniellaDBZ4ever: Thanks.

Hatersfuelmyflame: Well, even if they are together, there's still going to be a few problems between them. You'll see.

KKsaiyancat: I'm glad you liked the twist :3

Yvonne: Someone else said that too, but Mallie-3 and I talked about it. We're going in two separate directions with our stories, so yeah. But her story is really good and I would recommend it (obviously you have already read it XD). Glad you like it.

* * *

Vegeta hadn't heard from Bulma in three months. He was starting to get worried about her. She had seemed so upset when she called but then she just hung up. Vegeta couldn't get the panicked sound of her voice out of his head and it was driving mad.

His phone started ringing Beethoven's fifth symphony, his father's ringtone, and Vegeta growled. His father always seemed to call at the worst moments. Vegeta reluctantly answered his ringing phone. "What do you want, old man?" he asked in total disrespect.

His father ignored the bitterness in his son's tone and said, _"I need you to come for dinner tonight."_

"Where?" Vegeta asked. His family had stopped eating with each other in private over a month ago when Vegeta and his father got into another fight about Bulma and the part he played in her "disappearance."

"_The hospital," _his father said casually. _"Room 513."_

Vegeta shot up on his bed. "Is mom okay?" he asked in concern.

His father growled. _"Of course she is, but nice to know that you're more concerned about her than your 'old man.'"_

Vegeta "hmphed" and said, "Whatever."

"_Just come," _his father ordered.

"Fine," Vegeta replied before hanging up his phone. He threw the offending device on his bed and sighed. He forced himself to get up and get dressed even though he would have rather stayed in his apartment and think of ways to track Bulma down.

* * *

Bulma was very thankful to Yamucha for keeping her secret. Everyone still knew her as Beeja, although now everyone knew she was pregnant. She was starting to show, so it wasn't really something she could hide. It warmed her heart that everyone was being kind to and trying to help her. Yamucha and Juu took turns, not only taking her to doctors' appointments, but also checking on her daily to make sure she was eating. It was necessary since Bulma was still in a depressed state and wasn't eating like she should. It was obvious to others that she was depressed by her situation, but Yamucha was still the only one who knew the full extent of what was happening in her life.

The regulars at the diner would give her a few extra dollars in her tip. She was grateful for that since she had been so worried about making rent for the month. At least she wouldn't have to worry about it at that point, but she didn't know what she would do as the pregnancy progressed. Eventually she would have to cut back her hours. It made her worry, but she felt she'd be able to handle it.

She also got the chance to meet Yamucha's cousin, Maron. She was the "friend" that Yamucha had told her about. Bulma understood why Yamucha was reminded of the situation. Maron looked a lot like Bulma did before she dyed her hair. Bulma had missed her coloring, but it had started to come back a month ago. Not being able to dye her hair during pregnancy, Yamucha went out and bought her a wing. Even Maron didn't know who she truly was.

"So how do you do it?" Bulma asked Maron one day.

Maron smiled at her before looking over to her son. "It's hard," she replied, "especially since my parents kicked me out. Thankfully Yammi has been letting me stay with him, although our family doesn't know that part. If he hadn't taken us in, I don't know what I would have done. I would probably be living in a homeless shelter and they would have taken Benny away from me."

"I'm sorry," Bulma whispered.

Maron shrugged. "I bet your story is no better than mine or else you'd be with your family now, right?"

Bulma sighed and said, "My dad didn't approve of my boyfriend and his dad didn't approve of me. I didn't want my boyfriend to have to choose between his family and me. My father's already done with me."

Maron frowned at Bulma. "Beeja, you should try to contact someone. If it's just your father's issue, why don't you call your mother and let her know what's going on?"

Bulma gasped. She hadn't even thought about her mother. Months had gone by and she hadn't even told her that she was okay. "My mother…" Bulma whispered feeling guilty over not contacting her sooner.

Maron could see the guilt in the girl's eyes and realized that she probably hadn't contacted her since coming to the town. She took out her phone and handed it to Bulma. "You can take it into my room."

Bulma took the phone and smiled. "Thanks."

* * *

Mrs. Briefs was sitting home alone when her cell phone rang, showing the words "unknown caller." She decided to answer to it, which she would have never considered doing before. Something was just telling her that she needed to pick up the phone. "Hello?" she greeted.

"_Mom?"_ Mrs. Briefs sat up and gasped at the sound of her daughter's saddened voice.

"Bulma!" she exclaimed. "Are you all right, sweetie? Where are you?"

She heard Bulma sniffling on the other end. _"I can't tell you where I am, mom. I want to, but I don't want Vegeta to come find me, especially with how I left things with him."_

"You've spoken to him?" Mrs. Briefs asked. She was shocked, especially since Vegeta hadn't told her, not like she had the opportunity to talk with the boy or his mother since the whole mess started.

"_I didn't tell him, but I should have," _Bulma said confusing her mother. _"I tried to call him back, but it said his phone got disconnected or something. I just couldn't bring myself to tell him."_

"Tell him what, sweetie?" her mother asked. She was growing concerned with every anguished word her daughter spoke. Her maternal instincts were telling her that something was wrong.

"_Mom,"_ Bulma started hesitantly, _"I'm pregnant."_

Her mother was shocked, not that her daughter was pregnant, but that this situation went way passed "messed up." "Bulma, I need you to tell me where you are. I won't tell your father, or Vegeta, but I need to come and help you. I've been worried these last few months. Please, just let me help you."

Bulma was silent on the other line. Her mother knew that she was thinking about all of her options. That's one of the many things she loved about her daughter.

"I'll text you the address, but mom…please don't tell anyone," Bulma pleaded.

"I won't, Bulma. I'll be there as soon as I can."

Mrs. Briefs quickly hung up her phone and was about to go get packed when she saw her husband standing directly across from her. He didn't look happy which led her to believe that he had heard her talking.

"So, you're cheating on me," he stated. It shocked Mrs. Briefs to be accused of such a thing, but she would rather agree with him than tell him about Bulma.

"Yes," she lied. "I'm sorry."

Dr. Briefs shrugged. He had expected as much after angering his wife in such a manner regarding their daughter. He felt that since Bulma's disappearance was partially his fault that he could at least give her this small amount of happiness. "Be safe, wherever the hell you are going."

"Thank you," Mrs. Briefs muttered. She watched as her husband left the room. Then she checked her phone for the address Bulma sent her. "Texas?" she whispered before going to pack her things, and a few things of Bulma's. She couldn't wait to see her little girl again. It had been way too long.

* * *

Vegeta took a deep breath before entering his father's hospital room. Of course, his mother was already there, but she was sitting very far away from the bed. She looked un-amused, but not hurt or angry.

"So what put you in here?" Vegeta asked emotionlessly.

"Hmph," his mother scoffed. "Too much fast food, soda, and hostile corporate takeovers."

"A heart attack," his father replied ignoring his wife's outburst. When Vegeta didn't even flinch at the new, Mr. Ouji frowned. "I need to get you prepared to take over the business."

"Because God forbid he take it easy," his wife snapped bitterly before running out of the room.

Mr. Ouji looked over to his son, not at all affected by his wife leaving. "We need to set aside our differences, Vegeta, for the company."

Vegeta was about to say, "Never," but he stopped himself. If he could take over the business, the he could take down Capsule Corp. and then allow his own company to fall under. He would make sure that his mother was okay and taken care of, but he would ultimately get revenge on both his and Bulma's fathers.

"Deal," Vegeta said with a smirk. "You have yourself a deal."

* * *

Bulma was tossing and turning. She had left Maron's house shortly after she had called her mother. Maron had heard the whole thing, but by accident, just as Yamucha had. She, too, had agreed to keep her secret, especially because they were so similar. It couldn't hurt to let people keep thinking she was Beeja. If they knew the truth, there would be press all over the place, and that was not what Bulma or the baby needed.

She shot up out of bed breathing hardly after having a nightmare that broke her heart more than not talking to Vegeta. It was a dream about Vegeta, and he was furious. In the dream, he had found her and come after her, only to viciously take their child away from her. He was so hateful, not a shred of his kindhearted-self left.

A knock on Bulma's door pulled her out of her momentary fears. She looked at the clock and outside and realized that she had been asleep for hours. By this time, her mother should have been there.

Bulma gasped as her chest tightened. She couldn't help but feel nervous about seeing her mother again, though she knew she'd feel ten times worse if it were her father, and a hundred times worse if it were Vegeta.

Bulma went to answer the door, wig still on her head. Her saddened eyes met her mother's shocked ones. Bulma smiled with equal sadness and said, "Hey, mom. It's been a while."

* * *

A/N: I was going to make this chapter longer, but then it would have been too long to get to the scene I wanted to get to. But that stuff will be taken care of next chapter.


	5. We Can Go Sit on Your Back Porch

Disclaimer: I don't own DBZ or the characters.

*****PLEASE READ*****: I have a friend that has recently gotten into DBZ and she's been working on a Dragon Ball Z/Yu Yu Hakusho crossover called "What you Saiyan?" It's a really good story that I think you would all enjoy so please look it up. Her FF name is **dragoscilvio. **I am also writing the sequel, Tarble in the Family. Hope you enjoy.

And now to the review!

LunarSinner: Aw, thanks :D Glad you like it.

TFSrules: Trust me; Yamucha will need to be overprotective with how Vegeta's going to change in this chapter.

KimiruMai: Just keep that in mind as this chapter progresses…he may not be so awesome for a little while…

Moka-Chan8: Glad you're enjoying it.

Sweetgilda: Yup, Vegeta is about to become cold and heartless. It's going to be a challenge.

DaniellaDBZ4ever: Thanks!

VegetaBulma Fan: Whelp…I kind of now abandoned the color system. I can't tell you what stories will be worked on the most. You see, sometimes I need to be in a certain mood/state of mind to continue stories. There will never be an unfinished story, but when they will be updated I cannot predict.

Skinnychick: They will…it'll just be difficult.

KKsaiyancat: I'm sorry…I am trying to update as much as I can. Forgive how long this took.

HaTeR GoNnA HaTe On Me: Thank you :)

WhatWhat123: Thanks :D

Lintu-lvr4: Oh, he will…

Iluvveggie: Well…*nervous*

Sonia-s.a: Well, you shall soon see.

Cara2012: I agree with you there…she is being stupid. And she should tell him.

Harley The Gurl: Very soon. And I'm sorry…I used to update faster when I wrote incredibly short chapters and just posted on the fly, but now I write longer chapter, as well as proofreading my stories, plus being a beta for other authors, so it takes up a lot of my time that isn't dedicated to college classes, research, volunteer work, and my family. So yeah…^^' But I will try!

Yvonne: She was emotional, her judgment was clouded, but she was so completely and totally wrong. But hey, that's what happens when people are uncertain…they make snap decisions that need to be made over time.

Moly: Lol, well…Vegeta will be happy with this chapter, I'm sure XD

* * *

After a couple weeks of recovery, Vegeta's father was permitted to leave the hospital. Despite the protests of his mother, his father started hammering company policies down Vegeta's throat. His near-death experience made him even more impossible to deal with. Whenever Vegeta was around him, they would fight about the company or how he was trying to breed the perfectly capable teenager WHILE he was a full-time college student. His moments at school were his only moments of peace. Even at night, in his apartment he still had to deal with his father's overbearing attitude. Vegeta no longer had any freedom and, little by little, he was being broken.

Vegeta hadn't spoken to his friends or mother in a little over a month. His daily schedule was wake up, make coffee, go to class, go to the company after class, possibly grab lunch, come home, study, eat dinner, and sleep after going through financial reports and presentations, unless his father scheduled him down for a meeting. When Vegeta went to sleep, he would toss and turn while dreaming about the company or his father. He was really growing to hate his father, crossing the line he'd never be able to fix.

Vegeta started calling his father, "sir." There were no feelings of attachment to the man anymore. He was strictly Vegeta's boss, an employer that was in every aspect of his life. The stressed out teenager couldn't help but wish that his father would just disappear and leave him alone. He knew how to run the company, and he would run it well enough just to run Dr. Briefs out of business. That was all he wanted now. Vegeta no longer cared about the fact that he was his old girlfriend's father. In fact, he barely considered Bulma his girlfriend anymore, his feelings of love replaced with anger and hatred.

The door to Vegeta's apartment slammed open and a stack of catalogs were placed in front of Vegeta's face. "Get up, you lazy ass," his father ordered. "You're slacking."

"Fuck off," Vegeta growled. "Who the hell gave you a key to my apartment?"

"It's my money that pays for this place," was all his father said in reply. "Now read. We have a meeting later tonight and you need to be prepared."

"I'm fine," Vegeta retorted. "I know the presentation inside and out. It doesn't matter."

"You are ignorant, boy," he father scolded. "You need to grow up."

"Hello pot," Vegeta mumbled under his breath. Unfortunately his father overheard.

"What did you just say, brat?" his father asked.

"You heard me," Vegeta replied with a shrug. "You deliberately cause problems for other people like some damn high school student and expect the professional community to respect you. If anyone is ignorant, it's you."

"Is this about that damn girl again?" his father snapped. "It was the best thing I could have done for you. You didn't need that woman dragging you down. It's been months; she's gone. Get over it!"

"Like you got over your pathetic vendetta?" Vegeta screamed. His voice rang through his entire apartment, taking his father by surprise. "You are a fool. I don't care about that girl anymore," Vegeta said angrily. "But our company's reputation hasn't been the same since you did something so vindictive. You started a gossip chain that caused a young girl to be thrown out of her home. Capsule Corp. did not fall because of the pictures. In fact they grew because they weren't busy making accusations. No one even cared; it blew over after a month, but our company is still dealing with the fallout. No one wants to make deals. You did that!"

Vegeta's father zoned out and sat down on the couch as Vegeta continued to berate him. He had never heard his son like this before, but that wasn't what he was focusing on. No, he was focusing on the pain he was feeling in his chest, and as Vegeta continued to scream, the intensity of the pain grew until it shot up his arm.

"Oh, don't act like you feel bad about it," Vegeta ordered. "You haven't cared before, so why start now? Are you finally starting to feel remorse in your old age?"

"Vegeta," his father gasped out. "C-call the hospital."

"Why?" Vegeta asked crossing his arms and rolling his eyes.

"I-I'm having another heart attack," he reported in a panic. "Get them on the phone." Vegeta growled and walked over to the phone. He picked up the handheld device and just stared at it. "Well, boy, what are you waiting for?" Vegeta's expression darkened as he set the phone down on the coffee table in front of his father. "W-what are you doing?"

Vegeta turned to face his father, hatred shining in his dark eyes. "If you want to talk to them so badly, then come and get it. I'm through listening to your orders. You're probably faking anyway."

"V-Vegeta, son…you can't do this to me…" his father pleaded as the pain increased and his breathing became heavier.

Vegeta started to walk towards the car and grabbed his jacket, keys, and phone. "You are no father of mine," he growled before he left the apartment and slammed the door behind him.

* * *

It had been three months since her mother had arrived at her apartment and Bulma couldn't be happier. She started to feel less stressed about everything; however, she was still nervous about Vegeta. The nightmares of him acting cruel still assaulted her at night. She couldn't even recognize the dream figure as her boyfriend. She almost forgot what it was like to rest peacefully in his arms as he stroked her hair comfortingly. Part of her could really use that feeling in her present moments.

She hadn't seen him in seven months. By now, he had to be a different person, though Bulma would never expect him to change that much. She, on the other hand, was a completely different person now. Whatever confidence she used to have at school or in the boardroom was completely gone, replaced by a fear that her life would be uprooted. Her beauty that she had prided herself in was covered up by her tired face and the bags under her eyes signaling that she was exhausted and not getting much sleep. The only reason she was still a healthy weight was because her mother, Juu, and Yamucha would continuously pump her up with the food and nutrients she needed. "Beeja, sweetie," her mother greeted as she entered the diner.

Bulma smiled at her mother. It had been a shock for her how Bulma was able to stay out of the public eye. Though surprised, she adopted Bulma's methods. She had died her hair brown as well, to avoid being recognized, all because she didn't want her little girl to feel the pressure of the media. If word ever got out, especially now, Bulma wouldn't survive it. She was already suffering from a deep depression. The media didn't need to interrogate her too.

Still, her mother did hope that one day Bulma would at least try to contact Vegeta again. She could see that the girl wanted to, but something was holding her back. Bulma's nightmares were probably a factor. Although her mother didn't know about them in detail, she still knew they were about Vegeta, and she realized that Bulma was afraid to contact the boy she had been so in love with. It broke her heart to see her daughter acting so fearful.

"Hey, mom," Bulma greeted back. "I'm almost ready to go."

"I'll be waiting," her mother replied as she sat down at the bar area to talk to Juu. "How has she been today?"

"Same as usual," Juu replied casually, trying to hide her worry. "I can believe how long it's been since she came her. I thought for certain she would try to get back with whoever the baby's father is."

Mrs. Briefs sighed and said, "It's not that simple. Something terrible happened before she ran away, and now she's terrified over what the boy's reaction will be. I have tried to convince her to contact him, to not keep this secret from him, but she is convinced that he will turn against her. I'm not sure I understand, but I can't force her into doing anything."

Juu nodded. "I feel like she needs to tell him soon or the fallout will be terrible on both her and the baby," she predicted. "I just can't see this staying a secret for too long."

"Let's hope, for her mental state, you are wrong," he mother retorted sadly. Truth was that she really wanted Bulma to call Vegeta. Then she would help the two teens deal with the fallout with Dr. Briefs. Pretty soon, though, the fallout would be much worse than she could have ever imagined.

* * *

Vegeta was at a bar when he got the phone call he had been expecting. Obviously he couldn't drink anything, but that didn't stop him from paying off the bartender. He was surprised by the new his distraught mother told him. Apparently his father had managed to call for an ambulance; however, it was too late. Part of Vegeta felt guilty for the part he played, but the hardened part of him did not care. Besides, his father did always say that the teen should never depend on others in moments of weakness. He was just showing his father the same courtesy.

Days later, Vegeta had to suffer through a heartfelt funeral, though it was mostly the media and a few distant relatives he did not care to know. He did not cry; he did not talk with anyone. Most thought he was grieving, but that was the furthest from the truth. Vegeta just wanted to leave and move on with his life. Nothing changed, except now he wouldn't have a boss breathing down his neck. Actually, he would be the boss, and there was a lot he had to do to before he got to work in destroying Capsule Corporation. He first needed to make sure to expel all of the workers that sided with his father. Those who didn't would be allowed to keep their jobs.

"Vegeta." Vegeta looked up to see his saddened mother standing in front of him. "Um…how are you holding up?"

"I'm fine," Vegeta replied emotionlessly. His reaction truly scared her, since she did know what had happened between him and his father. When she had gotten to the hospital, her husband was still alive, and was barely able to tell her about their argument. She did not blame Vegeta, nor did his father because of how he had been treating him, but the fact that he seemed to feel nothing regarding the loss was terrifying. How did she let him distance himself so much? He was not acting like the boy she had raised.

"I…I want you to come home," she told him. "I think it would be for the best for you to be with family."

"Fine," Vegeta answered. "I'll move back."

"R-really?" she asked. "Just like that?"

Vegeta just shrugged and excused himself. His mother was about to stop him when some man walked up to him. The individual looked fearful. Something was about to happen. Mrs. Ouji could feel it in her gut.

"Who the hell are you?" Vegeta asked angrily.

The man tried to brush off his fear and spoke up. "I…I was the private investigator that worked for you father."

Vegeta's fists clenched, but he kept his cool and just said, "Follow me."

The PI nodded and followed Vegeta outside of the hall onto a porch away from prying eyes. He was about to speak up but felt himself being grabbed by the collar and banged up against a wall. He gulped as he stared down into Vegeta's cold eyes. "You have some nerve," Vegeta growled darkly. "How dare you even talk to me?"

"W-w-well," the man stuttered, "I was still working for your father the last few months, and I was supposed to receive payment this week. I…I was hoping to give you all the information I had, so that we could work something out."

"I don't want any information from the likes of you," Vegeta snapped, tossing the man to the ground. He started to walk off but stopped when the man called out to him.

"It's about the Briefs girl!" he shouted desperately. "I know where she is!"

Vegeta's eyes widened as he thought about what he had just been told. His heart started aching at the thought of Bulma and how she had left him. He knew his heart was trying to tell him he still had feelings for her, but his anger took over. He wanted the information, but only because he wanted to find her and crush her like she had crushed him, or at least that was what he told himself.

"Let's talk," Vegeta replied turning to face the man. They started to discuss payments and locations, finally getting Vegeta the information he had been craving. He smirked when he was given an address and place of employment. Soon enough, he would be able to see Bulma again, and he couldn't wait for that moment.

* * *

A/N: Ookeee, so everyone probably hates me right now for making Vegeta out to be a jerk, but he honestly won't be too bad ^^' He's just hurt and doesn't know how to handle it. I'm sure we've all been there, done that. Anyways, don't lose hope on Vegeta or this story yet. But of course, things get worse before they get better, so just be prepared…sigh…


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